Nate Houser

Nate Houser

Position: Director of Soccer

Phone: 785.594.8444

Email: nhouser@bakeru.edu

Baker Athletics Hall of Fame member Nate Houser has served as the Head Soccer Coach of both the men's and women's soccer teams since 2008 and was named the Director of Soccer in that same year. Entering the 2014 season he will now serve as the head men's soccer coach, while Davy Phillips will lead the women's program as head women's coach.

The Wildcats have been ranked in the Top 10 five of Houser’s six years as head men's coach, including rankings in the Top 5 in 2009, 2011 and 2012 and were ranked as high as No. 2 in 2012. His men's soccer team in 2013 ended the season ranked No. 9 in the country.

He began his college coaching career as the women’s head coach in 2003 by guiding the Wildcats to their first-ever Region V playoff appearance.

In 2013, Baker not only tied for the HAAC men's soccer regular season conference title, but went on the road as the No. 3 seed and captured the HAAC conference tournament championship with a road win at No. 2 Benedictine in the conference semifinals and a victory at No. 1 MNU in the championship match. Baker went on to host and defeat No. 10 ranked Midland, 2-1, in double overtime in the NAIA Opening Round match and advanced to the NAIA final site and Round of 16 in Montgomery, Ala.

In 2012 Baker's women's squad advanced to its third straight NAIA final site in the NAIA National Tournament with its 2-1 win over Bellevue in the NAIA Opening Round to advance to Orange Beach, Ala. The Wildcats also picked up some individual hardware along the way as senior Jordan Dolbin was named a Second Team NAIA All-American, Second Team NSCAA/Continental Tire All-American and impressively was named a 2012 Capital One Academic All-America College Division Second Team.

Sophomore defender Shelby Schiraldi joined Dolbin with a Third Team NAIA All-America honor and a Third Team NSCAA/Continental Tire All-America award.

Houser's men's team finished second in the 2012 HAAC regular season standings with a 5-2 HAAC record. Baker fell in the semifinals of the HAAC conference tournament to Missouri Valley in PK's to end the season 8-5-5. Baker posted eight All-HAAC players and Josh Rydberg earned a spot on the 2012 Capital One Academic All-America College Division Second Team.

The Wildcats enjoyed their best season in the programs 27-year history in 2011 finishing the regular season 16-0-1, while ranking No. 3 in the nation and winning a share of the HAAC regular season title on their way to the programs first-ever appearance in the NAIA Final Four. Overall, Baker finished the year 20-2-1, and is set to challenge for the 2012 Heart of America Athletic Conference Championship.

In 2010, Houser guided the women’s soccer program to it’s first-ever NAIA National Tournament semifinals appearance, while also capturing the 2010 Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament Championship. The 'Cats followed up that historic season with a 2011 HAAC regular season and playoff championship. In the NAIA National Tournament, the Wildcats returned to the Elite Eight and finished the season with a 15-3-2 record. Baker had four players named NAIA and NSCAA All-Americans.

Houser led the men's team to the 2008 HAAC Tournament Championship and advanced to the NAIA Sweet 16.

Houser won the HAAC Coach of the Year Award and NSCAA Plains Region Coach of the Year in 2011. With these honors, he became the first coach in the conference and region to win both the women’s and men’s award in the same season. In 2013, after guiding his men's team to a tie for the HAAC Regular Season conference championship, Houser was named HAAC Men's Co-Coach of the Year.

Notable Achievements

78-29-14 career record with the Baker men's soccer program

USSF A License

2013 NSCAA Men's Soccer Plains Region Coach of the Year

2013 HAAC Men's Regular Season/Tournament Champions

2013 HAAC Men's Coach of the Year

2012 NAIA Women's Sweet 16

2011 NAIA Men's Final Four

2011 NAIA Women's Elite Eight

2011 Men's and Women's NSCAA Regional Coach of the Year

2011 HAAC Men's Coach of the Year

2011 HAAC Women's Coach of the Year

2010 NAIA Women's Final Four

2008 NAIA Men's Sweet 16

Professional Playing Career

After graduating from Baker in 1994, Houser enjoyed a 12-year professional soccer career. He spent 11 seasons with the Kansas City Comets and one with the St. Louis Steamers and the Baltimore Blast. Houser was an All-Star selection during the 1999 and 2000 seasons and an All-Pro selection in 2000. Houser also played outdoor soccer in the USL A-League for the Hampton Roads Mariners (1996), Rochester Rhinos (1997) and the Milwaukee Rampage (2000). Every team Houser appeared with went on to play in the post-season. In 1997 the Kansas City Comets won the NPSL championship. From 2000 to 2003 Houser was part of the U.S. National Team Futsal Player Pool.

Collegiate Playing Career

In 2007, Houser was inducted into the Baker University Athletic Hall of Fame as the first men's soccer player. As a player Houser was a first team All-America selection in 1992 and 1993, as well as an NSCAA first team All-America selection. He garnered honorable mention status in 1991. Houser was Conference, District and Regional Player of the Year during that time as well. In 1992 he was part of the United States Olympic Festival and won a silver medal as part of the final field of 64 for the 1992 Olympic team. Nate finished his career with 162 points and still holds the season record for goals and points and is the career assist leader with 35. Houser also played in the Umbro Senior Bowl in the spring of 1994 before graduating.